29 Nov 2006

Simply Organic...is simply the best!I've been aPescetarian now for over 20years......no! I'm not practicing some quaint ye-olde-Scottish religion; it means that I'm a fish eater. In certain households, it's easier to be known as a vegetarian, but that's usually for the benefit of friends who are not known for their cooking skills...simpler all round...I mean after all...you can't go far wrong with salad, pasta, rice or beans...hmm! or can you?..don't worry, I won't be naming & shaming anyone. But now you'll be able to buy these excellent meals and hopefully share them around.Pure & Pronto Organic FoodEureka! I'm thrilled to say, I've finally discovered an amazingly tasty range of posh nosh vegetarian TV Dinners that are good for you. They are also cheap as chips, if you pardon the expression. You can even pop them in the micro and the quality is as good as you would get in a great vegetarian restaurant. I'm also proud to announce that it's a Scottish Company run by 2 wonderful women in Edinburgh.

21 Nov 2006

2. Refrain from drinking caffeine related liquid, as this only speeds up the nervous process and can cause the mind to race, as well as the heart. 3. Refrain from consuming dairy produce as this affects the mucous glands, and can cause you to constantly clear your throat. 4. Drink plenty of water and always have plenty on stand by. 5. Go somewhere private and warm up your voice and facial muscles.

6. Breathe deeply, evenly, and slowly for several minutes, as this not only oxygenates the blood, to keep you alert, but also helps you keep calm. 7.Go to a mirror and check out how you look, as you only have 5 seconds to make a first impression and only 90 to blow their socks off.

8. Make a positive entrance with good upright posture, as that shows confidence. 9. Make good eye contact. 10. Make them laugh, cry and sigh…and you will make them listen!

17 Nov 2006

Why Dogs Hate Hallow'een

In loving memory of Wee One

Let's start with something that's close to my heart...my love of animals. Their needs are so basic and their love unconditional. I'm so glad there are Animal Welfare groups who speak up on their behalf.

I had the pleasure of sharing my life with a little collie/spaniel called Wee One. I named my Theatre Production Company after her, Wee One Productions. She was my best Pal for going on 18 years. Her final resting place is a peaceful hillside overlooking Loch Lomond in Scotland. It's a place I go to enjoy quiet contemplation.

Our family always had dogs and when I was a child, I had a little terrier called Ricki. I'd dress him as a baby and pop him in a pram...he never objected, just sat there, waiting for his chocolate treat...probably thinking to himself...Grrr!...next time I'm coming back as a Wild Bear.My very good friend Jaspre Bark, sent these pics to me. (Actually I'll introduce you to Jaspre later, he's a brilliant novelist/poet/journalist.) I'm ashamed to say, I did find them very funny, yet with a bitter twist...kind of cruel but compulsive...it's amazing what our little furry friends put up with, just to get a decent meal and a roof over their heads!

NOOOOOO! I can't believe that people would really do this to their best friend...

Oh jings!...I wish these didn't make me smile so loudly.

Och!...they've gone too far...Please never try anything like this at home.

For those who are true animal lovers...remember to make a donation to the RSPCA.Since its humble beginning in 1824 - as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - the RSPCA has worked tirelessly to promote kindness and prevent cruelty to animals.

10 Nov 2006

Amazing Painters, Poets & PuppetsPAINTER...Willow CairnI'm so pleased my chum, artist Willow Cairn, said I may post some of her paintings...though this virtual vibe doesn't quite capture the magic of her glorious talent.You may enjoy other paintings of Willow's and discover more about this fabulous lady if you pop over to her Blog

POET...John HegleyThere are some amazing Poets out there...so just thought I'd name a few for your perusal. I'll probably add to this as I find a wee bit more time...However for now...there's one chap I just love and that's John Hegley, he's absolutely brilliant. I've had the pleasure of being granted the permission to perform some of his stuff in my show.Check him out at: www.johnhegley.co.uk

His Audience draw and send him loads of piccies like this cos, he has a special soul...seriously, check him out.

9 Nov 2006

My music videofrom youtubeWell here's the video from youtube...though you can embed one of your own, as long as it already exists on the web. Just edit the HTML link into your post.Handy TipEvery time you edit your post on here and you have any video embedded, it always re-opens so don't forget to close the embed with a /embed at the end.(adding the < > where appropriate)A very late night indeed...I was working on some vocal tracks for a Producer friend of mine and I finally rolled home about 4am...he told me, "that's the best time to post a Youtube video"..."adds to the 'KOOL' factor" he said...och aye these young folks... what are they like!!!...so here I am...looking like a straggly posing twit. (gosh! I hope none of my business clients recognise me from this, or I'll never work again) :+>

5 Nov 2006

The World of All Things Softtoys, skills,ware(Wow!...this is an oldie... I've always had a soft spot for a furry toy...or maybe I was just perched on a teddy at the time.)Pic by Alan CrumlishSOFT TOYS spooky stuffIt all began with a photo-shoot...surrounded by toys for a publicity pic and before I knew it, I was hooked...or so many other people led me to believe.

I started with a very small lucky charm in the shape of a mini teddy, then someone spotted it in my dressing room at the theatre and in their infinite wisdom, decided to add to my collection. My boudoir then over-flowed with oodles of little furry folks. The removal of these invaders became more difficult as time went by, as they seemed to develop a life of their own...I went through a period when I believed everything had Karma. (I practiced Buddhism for over 3 years in my 30s)...I suppose I also gave into the soft-toy theory of harping back to childhood...free from responsibility...when all was simple, soft and warm. I'm better now!SOFT SKILLS Say it as nature intendedWhy can we not just hold onto the courage and confidence we were born with?

There have been many quotes over the years about walking and talking...this is a favourite adaptation and I use it often in my coaching work "We spend the first 12 months of our lives, learning how to walk and talk...and the next 12 years being told to sit down and shut up".Is it any wonder, so many of us never recover the sense of our own personal value.SOFTWARE oh! ware have you goneFinally...on the software issue...what baffles me is...how can individuals get so much pleasure out of infecting others with a virus???...surely it will most certainly be a case of what goes around comes around (did I mention I was a Buddhist in my 30s?) Goodness knows we get enough hassle fromthe bloomin' anti-virus companies!!! I downloaded some updates for McAfee recently and my lap-top nearly drowned...I would surf for a site...it would go under...then it would go phishing...then it would come up against a wall of fire...and in the meantime I would shower, make a cuppa, eat a choc and still the end was not in SITE!

Right! that does it...I'm off to see if I can find a decent security system other than McAfee...there's a couple I have in mind, other than Norton.SecurityShieldorZoneAlarm...all suggestions are welcome.

These are just a few of my favourite HUMAN ZOO pics...much more PC than the real thing and shows the value of putting a few ol' house-hold items to good use...er!..*cough*..not the bloke but the gloves 'n tights 'n stuff...er...moving right along...

No but seriously!...I wonder if this individual was chemically challenged, when they came up with this rather ingenious cat-walk...it's bonkers!